For some years now, conflicts concerning the rightful domain owner have been carried out at WIPO in Geneva, among other places. WIPO is the World Intellectual Property Organization. The arbitral tribunal decides according to the widely recognized UDRP method (Uniform Domain Name Dispute Resolution Policy). We show on domains.ch for each domain in the Hitanalyzer whether there was a procedure at the WIPO or is still running and also try to indicate whether there were problems with similar domain names with a different ending. This can be useful additional information when deciding whether a domain can be purchased without risk. If, for example, a procedure is still pending, it may well be that you buy a domain which, in the worst case, cannot be transferred to you, because the domain must first change the owner by court order.

It is also helpful to know if there have already been court rulings on similar domain names. This can reduce the value of a domain considerably. Reading past arbitration rulings can be very valuable to understand what rules apply when a domain is misused or inadvertently registered or used by a third party.

Not all decisions of the WIPO and similar arbitral tribunals make the same sense. It may happen that in supposedly similar situations one domain has to be transferred and another domain does not have to be transferred. In case of doubt, please consult a recognized domain attorney in case of disputes so that you do not make any avoidable mistakes when arguing before the arbitral tribunal.

Further information on WIPO and UDRP can be found at www.wipo.int/amc/en/domains/.